NTSC TM Betacam SX™ System — a New Generation of ENG and EFP Format When Sony introduced U-maticTM video cassette recording in 1972, the age of electronic news To realize these dramatic benefits, Sony introduces the Betacam SX system: the total solution for gathering was launched. In the 1980’s, Sony gave the world BetacamTM and then Betacam SP TM optimized digital acquisition and production. formats — workhorse formats that introduced such radical improvements in picture quality that The Betacam SX format is designed to achieve superior picture quality, faster editing, increasing they were quickly adopted throughout the broadcast community. Developed to take full advantage system flexibility, and greater productivity in every aspect of news gathering and production. The of the Betacam and Betacam SP formats, the BVW range of Sony VTRs has, for over a decade, Betacam SX system combines extraordinary advantages: an advanced compression algorithm, set the standard for reliability and performance in the demanding worlds of ENG and EFP. dramatic reductions in equipment size and operating costs, the speed and creativity of non-linear Now, in the 1990’s, digital technology is bringing revolutionary changes to the broadcast industry disk-based editing, and the power of a total digital network. — changes that are accompanied by benefits and advantages that can be applied throughout the The Betacam SX format complies with MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile at Main Level (MPEG-2 4:2:2P@ML) entire broadcast operations. to maintain broadcast-quality pictures from camera through post production. Using the robust compression algorithm that achieves higher picture quality at a reduced bit- rate, the Betacam SX format is the key to superior digital acquisition, high- speed transmission from the field to the broadcast station, high-speed material upload to server, non-linear editing, cost-effective archival storage, and server-based playout. The Sony Betacam SX System — the first system that brings news broadcasting operations the full benefit of digital technology, while maintaining the functionality and cost efficiency that will carry today’s broadcasting community into tomorrow’s digital world. Betacam SX Format The Betacam SX format represents the next generation Betacam technology, drawing on the long experience of Sony in serving the ever-changing, real-world needs of the broadcast industry. It combines the proven performance of 1/2-inch analog Betacam SP format with the digital technology leadership of the D-1, D-2, and Digital BETACAM TM formats. Broadcast Picture Quality Betacam SX Achieves with MPEG-2 4:2:2P@ML Efficient Bit Rate Reduction The Betacam SX format records 8-bit, 4:2:2 component The robust compression algorithm of the Betacam SX digital signals using an advanced compression format results in a reduced bit rate of 18 Mbps for the algorithm. video signal, achieving greater effeciency both in Betacam SX recordings maintain high-quality pictures transmitting the signal from the field to the station and in without visible artifacts, while keeping the bit-rate low to storage onto disk, while maintaining high-picture quality. allow high-speed transmission, cost-effective digital non- Reducing the bit rate enables non-linear editing systems linear editing, and archival storage. to handle real-time video and audio signals at lower Betacam SX picture quality exceeds that of Betacam SP. cost. The reduced bit rate allows either high-speed The Betacam SX format also preserves 507 active lines transmission or simultaneouse 2-channel transmission of per frame including vertical blanking signal information. different video source signals within a limited bandwidth, The Betacam SX recording format yields superior picture which can result in reduced transmission fees and quality, with excellent luminance detail and improved facilitate the use of contribution links. color resolution. The 4:2:2 sampling structure maintains The reduced bit rate of Betacam SX recordings also the chrominance information necessary for editing and yields overall cost saving in strage requirements and special effects — and stands up to the post production transmission time, making more effective use of the needs of news program production. hardware capacity and channel bandwidth of a disk and server-based studio network system. <Betacam SX Format> General Tape Width 12.65 mm (1/2 inch) Tape material Metal particle tape Recording/playing time Max. 62 min. with S-cassette Tape Format Max.194 min. with L-cassette Tape speed 59.515 mm/s (525 mode) Direction of Tape Travel 59.575 mm/s (625 mode) AUX Track Track pitch 32 mm Tracks per frame 10 (525/60), 12 (625/50) Direction of Longitudinal tracks Time code/Control/Aux Head Motion Video ancillary data 1 line/field Extension data 20 byte/frame Audio 4 Video Audio 3 System Audio 2 Compression MPEG-2 4:2:2Profile@Main Level Video Data Audio 1 Audio Bit rate 18 Mbps Sectors Audio 4 Sectors Sectors Active lines per frame 507 lines (525/60), 608 lines (625/50) Audio 3 Sampling frequency Y:13.5 MHz R-Y/B-Y:6.75 MHz Audio 2 Audio 1 Quantization 8 bits/sample Audio Compression None Sampling frequency 48 kHz Quantization 16 bits/sample Channels 4 TIMECODE Track CONTROL Track Compatibility with Analog Betacam and Betacam SP Formats The Betacam SX format is designed to maintain compatibility with current analog systems. This analog compatibility provides a logical, cost-efficient migration path towards a totally digital environment. Analog Playback Capability The 1/2-inch tape size used by Betacam SX format is the same size 1/2 cassette as current Betacam and Betacam SP equipment, giving Betacam SX playback capability of analog Betacam and Betacam SP recordings made on oxide or metal particle tape. Using advanced Hybrid Recorders that combine video tape transport and hard disk drive, the Betacam SX system allows existing analog Analog and Digital Interfaces Betacam and Betacam SP archive material to be Betacam SX products provide both analog and digital accessed and digitized for non-linear editing. interfaces, allowing these new digital products to coexist with all the existing analog systems in the studio and in Wide Range of Recording Media the field. Current BCT-MA and UVWT Series Betacam SP metal particle tape cassettes can be used for Betacam SX recording, assuring wide availability of recording media. For superior digital performance at reduced cost, a new metal particle tape has also been developed for Betacam SX recording. Efficient Bit Rate Reduction for High-speed Transmission Audio CH 2 in Network System Right Media in Right Application Broadcast Picture Quality ● MPEG-2 4:2:2P@ML Backbone of the ● Compatibility with Total Digital 507 (525/60) Lines per Frame Analog Betacam & Newsroom System ● 1/2 Tape Consumption Betacam SP ● 4ch Audio ● 194-min Recording with L-cassette Robust Format Low Maintence Costs Lower Tape Running Costs Betacam SX Format Betacam SX in Action: advantage of longer tape recording times: up to 62 These automatic systems minimize the need for time- broadcast news operations. The compression algorithm The Robust Tape Format minutes on a single S-cassette, and up to 194 minutes consuming manual equalization and servo system of MPEG-2 4:2:2P@ML is universally employed within on a single L-cassette. adjustments, which can lower maintenance costs. the full Betacam SX product range, as well as by the The robust tape format of Betacam SX records 8-bit, The “multiple head tracking” technology used in the digital, disk-based A/V Servers in the Sony system. This 4:2:2 component digital video signals and supports four Betacam SX format ensures reliable playback by Innovative Hardware Designs means that, throughout the total newsroom system, no channels of 16-bit/48 kHz digital audio. Its powerful ECC performing powerful error correction on adjacent tracks. Another significant economy results from the reduced encoding and decoding is needed, so picture quality is (Error Correction Code) automatically corrects off-tape This technology enables the Betacam SX format to not compromised. data errors caused by burst errors during recording and bit-rate of the Betacam SX format: the ability to develop handle a high bit-rate signal within narrow tracks, new hardware designs that reduce cost by combining playback. This ensures virtually dropout-free recording of allowing the development of low-cost, high-quality The Right Media in the Right Application important news program material. multiple functions. A dramatic example of this design Betacam SX tape. efficiency is the unique Sony Digital Video Hybrid Sony expertise in every aspect of video technology has Compared to conventional Betacam SP tapes, tape The Cost Efficiencies Recorder, which combines VTR and hard disk drive in a led to a careful evaluation of the running costs, consumption can actually be reduced by one-half — single integrated unit. recording times, mobility factors, and industry-wide of Betacam SX Products which means that ENG acquisition and studio archival compatibility of both tape and disk media. The Betacam SX format is designed to deliver all the tape costs can be greatly reduced, while superior Betacam SX: Sony employs tape media for applications requiring low picture quality is maintained. benefits of high-quality digital performance — and also The Key to the Digital Newsroom running costs, longer recording time, and higher to achieve significant long-term saving in both media mobility — and uses disk media when high-speed and hardware costs as well as reducing operational Reduced Maintenance Costs Betacam SX format is the key to the Sony approach to random access and non-linear operations are required. expenses. Betacam SX equipment also incorporates an Automatic the digital newsroom — bringing the multiple Best of all, both tape and disk media utilize the same Alignment System that maximizes accurate tape advantages of high-quality pictures and sound, high- sampling structure and compression algorithm, Lower Tape Running Costs recording and reproduction of digital data.